A coepo



0. c. GATES.

BELT MAKING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY27, Hi9.

14,875. 3 8 HEETS- SHEET l.

Reissued. June 8, 1920.

amve ntoz Reis'sued June 8 1920.

C. C. GATES. BELT MAKING PROCESS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- C. C. GATES.

' BELT MAKlNG PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED 127, 1919.

Rcissued June .gUNIT -ED STATES PATENT a ms-q CHARLES CASSIUS GATES, OF DENVER, COLOR- ADO, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- narrow or COLORADO.

. MEN'IS, TO THE GATES RUBBER COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A 0031 01" BELT KING r'nocnss.

Rclssued June 8, 1920.

Original No. 1,281,153, dated October 8, 1818, Serial No. 193,52 6, filed september 27, 1917. Application for reissue filed Kay 27, 1919. -Serial No..300,234. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that-I, CHARLES C. GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver, State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful I Improvements in Belt-Making Processes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. i My invention relates to a process for making belts, more especially adapted for use, in connection with automobiles for operating the fans employed in connection with the engines of thee. n1achines. It is evident, however, that belts made by this process may be employed in all other relations Where high elliciency and durability are required.

My improved process is utilized to produce a belt in annular form, whereby when completcd there is no abnormal tension upon the fibers or threads of the outer portion of the belt due to bending a flat belt. member into annular form and connecting the extremities of the flat memberin' the usual or ordinary way. This belt is composed of layers of rubberized woven' fabric applied to one an other by a winding operation, a cylindrical core being employed for the purpose. The extremities of the sheet of. fabric are secured by raw vulcanizable material so that when the belt member is vulcanized, an integral or homogeneous annulamendless belt structure produced. I forming the belts I prefer to make a relhtively long cylindrical belt member and after vulcanization cut this member into relatively nar-, row belts of predetermined size, after which the belts are removed from the core.

An important feature of the process consists in. employing a rubberized wovenffabric so cut that the warp and woof thereof extend diagonally to the length of the sheet, whereby the belt has a. limited degree of elasticity,- which is important. and I might say "essential in a belt of this character; whereas, when the warp and woof are arranged in the ticity normal way so that the threadsof one of these parts'extend parallel to the length' a series of strips from a sheet of the rub berized fabric, the cuts eitending diagonally to the direction of the length of the normal sheet," and afterward connecting these strips to form a relatively long sheet whose warp' and woof are diagonally arranged to the direction of the length of th sheet. This sheet is first wound into a roll of convenient size and upon a shaft or drum from which it'can be conveniently unwound for belt-forming purposes. The core upon which the belt is formed is preferably composed ofa'hollow collapsilde cylinder which is mounted in a lathe or other structure whereby it may be rotated in order to form the relatively long cylindrical belt memher. Assuming that the cylindrical core is in place, one'end of the sheet of rubberized fabric whose warp and. woof are diagonal to the direction of its length, is applied to "the cylinder through the medium of a strip of raw gum or other suitable vulcanizable matcr'lrl, the end edge of the sheet covering on ya part of the strip of gum. The cylindrical core is then rotated, and after the first convolution is completed it will be under stood the rubberized fabric adjacent thevstarting edge also a portion of the gum, thus'completely sealing the first convolution after vulcanization is complete.

The rotation of the cylinder is continued un til the desired number of layers or thickin superposedrelation to produce a belt of the proper thickness. The sheet of fabric is then severed and another strip oi raw gum or vulcanizable material applied to the outer edge of the sheet of fabric and allowed to overlap the adjacent body portion of the bosses of the-rubberized fabric are arranged lOO belt member. The cylindrical core with its able cutting mechanism,

belt member thereon is then tightly covered exterlorly by winding thereon a layer of suitable canvas which forms a covering for the cylindical belt member. The c lindrical core is then removed from the athe or means for imparting the rotary movement, and placed within the vulcanizer where it is left the required length of time to prop erl cure or vulcanize the said member. The core with its belt member is then' removed from the vulcanizer and placed in the same or another lathe, after which'the canvas covering is removed therefrom by an unwinding operation. The belt member is then cut into a series of belts of the desired width, through the instrumentality of suitwhich will be hereinafter described more in detail. Aftef this is done the cylindrical core and the belts carried thereby are removed from the lathe and the core collapsed, after which the belts will slip therefrom in' an endwise direction. While the process is not limited to any particular mechanical structure for practising the same, I have illustrated in the accompanying paratus for the purpose, described and claimed in co-pending application, Serial. No. 193,525, filed September 27, 1917. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sheet of rubberized fabric, illustrating the manner of cuttin strips therefrom in order to form Y a, sheet 0 material adapted for use in carrying out my belt-making process.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a collapsible cylindrical core, showing the manner of starting the operation of winding the rubberized fabric thereon for belt-forming purposes.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a suitable apparatus for rotating the cylindrical core and winding the fabric thereon, the same being unwound from a roll of the, said fabric.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3, the same being 'a view looking ;in the direction of arrow 4 in this View.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a lathe or winding member illustrating the cylindrical core with its belt member thereon, and further showing the manner of applying the canvas covering to the belt member prior to placing the same in the vulcanizer.

Fig; 6 is a top plan view of the complete apparatus including the mechanism for cutting the cylindrical belt member into a series of belts of predetermined width.

7 is a section taken on the line 7-7, Fig fi, looking toward the right, the, parts being shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a gage' form 1ng a part of the apparatus illustrated 1n Flg. 6.

drawing suitable ap- V one end of the cylindrical core 8.

lines 6 of this sheet indicate the lines upon perspective detail view partly I which the sheet may be severed to form a sheet 7 of the fabric in which the warp and Y WOOfGXtGIld diagonally to the length of the sheet. The sheet 7 after it is completed is applied to a core 8 which, as illustrated in the drawing, consists of a cylinder which is divided as shown at 9 on a line parallel with its axis, one edge thereof having se cured theretw an angle bar 10 which slightly overlaps the division line when the core is expanded, whereby the device is locked in the expanded position. In applying the sheet 7 thereto, one of the end edges thereof is placed upon a strip 13 pfraw gum which.

extends the length of the cylinder. This cylinder is placed in a lathe structure, which as illustrated in the drawing is composed of a framework 14 including two end members 15, in which are mounted short shafts 16 and 17., The shaft 16 is journaled in a box 18 and to its inner extremity is applied a cone-shaped head 19, adapted to fit into The other shaft 17 is mounted in an extension 20 of the adjacent frame member 15, and is covered by a plate 21, having a slot 22 which passes through a slot 24 formed in a shifting lever 25,\said lever being fulcrumed as shown at 26, and carrying a pin- 27 adapted to enter any one of a series of percomposed of convoluted layers of the sheet 7. This sheet 7 of rubberized fabric when wound-upon theshaft 29. is accompanied by l a layer of canvas which is arranged between the convefutions of the rubberized sheet to prevent these convolutions from adhering. ThlS canvas or. separating fabric is designated by the numeral 31, and as the sheet 7 is .unwound from the roll 30, the sheet 31 is taken'oif and wound upon a shaft 32 to form a roll '33, which is best illustrated in through which projects upwardly a pin 28, v

'Fig. 4. Suitable tension or resistance 'is placed on the shaft-29. throughthe instru-.

mentality of a brake lever 34 suitably connected with a brake band engaging a. brake drum or Wheel 36. A suitable ratchet plate 37 is employed for locking the lever 34 in the desired position of adjustment. It is important in carrying out the process thatsutlieient tension'or resistance be emplo ed in connection with the shaft 9 in order t 1:11; a part of the stretch or elasticity due to the diagonal arran enient of the warp and woof of the sheet '7, e eliminated. and this is aceomplished to the desired or predetermined degree through theinstrumentality of the brake mezhanism. When the machine illus trated in Figs. 3 and i is in operation, the shaft 16 is rotated togetherwith the two eonieal or frustuni shaped heads 19 and 15), the head 19 being journaled on the inner extremity of the shaft 17 and arranged to rotate in unison with the head 19 whieh is keyed to the shaft 1,6. Assuming that the end edge of the sheet 7 is applied to the \;'lindri -al core 8 through the medium of the strip 13 of raw gum. the (ore is rotated by the employment of any suitable power. As illustrated in the drawing. a pulley T5 is keyed to the shaft l6 and engaoed by .a belt T6 'lllt'll also engages a pulley (7 faston a line shaft or a shaft connected with a suitable motor. The r-ylindrieal core 8 is rotated until a suliieient number of layers of the rubberized sheet? are formed or applied thereto to produre a i-ylindriral belt member of the desired thii-kness. The sheet T is then out as illustrated in Fig. (3. after \Vllll'll the free edge of the sheet T. ('onnet'ted with the evlindrii-al belt. member 35). is fastened to the body of the'said member by another strip of raw gum ll the same be in;: indir-ated by dotted lines in Fig. This strip of gum overlaps the edge of the fabric T and also the adjat-ent portion of the body of the t' vlllltllltfll member. A roverin; ll of suitable ranvas or other fabric is then applied to the belt member 39 by winding a strip 42' thereon as indir'ated in Fig. 5. The belt member thus eorered is then removed from the lathe strurture together with the \"llfltllll'2ll ('ore. and planed in a vult-aniy er until it is properly i-ured. after whit-h it is returned to the lathe or another one like it (see Fig. (l) and the covering: it removed. Mei-hanisni is then applied .to the framework 14- for Putting the belt member into aseries of bolts 1;? ol the desired width. This rutting mevhanism vollsisls of a rock shaft 44 \vhh-h is journaled in movable plates l5 mounted on the forward end e.\' tension of the frame members 15. the said bearing plates beln; held in plane b Flt bolts 17 formed in the mem ers 17. the bearing plates being adjustable by reason of the fzwt that the bolts pass through slots l8 formed in the lmarin; plates. The disks are mounted on the ro -lt shal't H. and

are movable lengthwise thereof eaeh disk being connected with the rock shaft by' means of a bolt which passes through a threaded perforation in the disk and enters a groove 51 in the rock shaft which is con-- tinuous, whereby the disks are endwise adjustable on the shaft. of these disks as-shown at is a lever-like handle 53, one extremity of which is equipped with a knife 5,iwhile to the opposite extremity beyond the fulcrum is eon. neeted as shown at 55 the upper extremity of a spiral spring 56, whose lower extremity is (-onnected with the corresponding set bolt 50. A. manipulating lever arm 57 cured at its lower extremity to the rock shaft so that as the lever'is adjusted or thrown from the full-line position in Fig. 7 to the dotted-lineposition, the outer extremities of the knife handles 53 will be lowered while their inner or knife blade extremities will be thrown into engagement with the (-ylindriral helt member 39 for cutting purposes. It should be explained. how-- ever, that a gage 58 consisting of a bar 59 having reresses .60 erpiidistantly spat-ed, is (-onnertedwith the rock shaft 44: by means of 'two hooks 61. The lower portions of the knife handles 53 are made to engage the rerresses G0 which are properly spaced to determine the width of the bolts 43.- Then as the lever arm 57 is properly adjusted and the knife blade extremities 54; thereof are thrown into engagement with the ovlindrieal helt member 39 as the-latter is rota ed. the belt member is out into a. series of belts o? the desired width. The (-ore with the belt structure thereon is then ren'iored from the lathe, after which ("\llllfll'lfill (-ore is (ollapsed by springing its free edge past the angle har 10 and then moving it inwardlfi to the dotted-line position in Fig. after which the belts 4-3 in their rompleted form will slip from the core. when the latter is properly tilted. it should perhaps be ex 'ilaini-al that the eoniral head 19 of the lathe strlir-tnre is equipped with a key 62. whit-b engages a reeess. 6? formed in the erlindrieal (ore 8. whereby the (more is eaused to rotatewith the head if) and its shaft 16. The frir'tion between the head 19" and the adjat'ent extremity of the dVllWlllPfll (OPP is snffit-ient to eanse the two parts to rotate in unison when shaft l6 and the wore 10 are rotated.

The Putting merhanism is adjustable toward and away from the eylindriral belt member in order to roi'npei'lsate for \"aria li n in the diameter of the belt members. it will be understood that the longer the rerpiirtal bolt. the larger the evlindriral (ore for usiin forming ll'lt helt. will he. ilenee. the heads 19 and 19" are provided with properly spared r-irr-unil'ereiuial grom'es (ll adapted to engage the LXlltnlilllS ol' eylin- Fulcrnmed on each" chars of varying diameter. The cylinders wlien'in collapsed form may be placed in cal core to expand until it engages the proper groove (3%, which forms a stop against further adjustment I claim:

1. The herein described belt-making process, consisting in winding a sheet of suitable fabric on a support in superposed convoluted layers to form a belt member, vulcanizing the said member, and after vulcanization subdividing the member to form a number of relatively narrow endless belts.

2. The herein described belt-making process, colisisting' in convolutely winding a sheet of rubberized fabric on a support in superposed layers to form a belt member, the fabric being under tension during the winding operation to eliminatesuperfluous elasticity, yulcanizing the said member and after vulcanization cutting the member to izing the member, and after milcaniz ation form a number of relatively narrow endless belts.

3. A belt-making process, consisting in convolutely winding a sheet of rubberized fabric on a support in superposed layers to form a belt member, covering the said memher with non-vulcanizable material, vulcansubdividing it to form a series of endless belts of uniform length.

4. The herein described belt making process, consisting in cutting rubberized woven fabric to form a sheet whose Warp and woof are arranged diagonal to its length, winding the sheet on a core in the direction of its nizable material, andfinally vulcanizing thev belt member while position on the core, whereby it is held 'in annular form until cured.

(3. The herein described belt making process consisting in cutting woven rubberized fabric to form a sheet whose warp and woof are arranged diagonal to its length, winding the sheet on a core in the direction of its length to form an annular belt member con sisting of superposed layers of such fabric, vulcanimng the belt member while in posi tion on the core and finally cutting the annular belt member to form a number of relatively narrow belts.

7. The herein described belt making process consisting in taking a sheet of woven fabric whose warp and woof form oblique angles to its length, winding the said sheet in the direction of its length on a core to form an annular belt member consisting of superposed layers of such fabric, the ends of the sheet being secured to the body of the belt member by raw vulcanizable material, vulcanizing the belt member while in position on the core, whereby it is held in annular form until cured, and finally ,sub-

dividing the belt member to form a series of belts of the equal length.

ess' consisting in taking woven rubberized fabric whose warp and woof form oblique angles to its length, winding the said sheet in the direction of its length on a core to form .an annular, endless belt member consisting of superposed layers of such fabric, the said fabric being placed under tension during the Winding operation to eliminate superfluous elasticity, the ends of the sheet being secured to the body of the belt member by raw vulcanizable. material, and finally vulcanizing the belt member while in position onthe core, whereby it is main tained in annular form until cured.

' 9. The herein described belt making proc-. ess consisting in taking a sheet of woven rubberized fabric WllOSG' warp and woof form oblique angles to its length, winding the said sheet in the direction of its length on a core to form an annular belt member composed of superposed layers of such fabric, the end edges of the sheet being secured to the body of the belt member by raw vulcanizable material, covering the belt member with a non-vulcanizable fabric, and finally vulcanizing the belt member while in position on the core. l

10. The herein described belt 'making process, consisting in cutting wovenrubberized fabric to form pieces whose warp and woof extend at oblique angles to its length, connecting the said pieces to form arelatively longsheet of such material, winding the said sheet in the direction of its length on a core to form an annular belt member consisting of superposed layers of such fabric, the ends of the sheet being secured to the body of the belt member by vvulcaniz able material, covering the belt 8. The herein described belt making proctively long sheet of such fabric, winding the said sheet in the direction of its length to 12. The herein described belt making process comprising winding a sheet of woven fabric treated with avulcanizable compound and whose warp and woof are oblique to its length, upon a core in the direction of the length of the fabric to form an annular belt member comprising super-.

posed layers of such fabric, and vulcanizing the belt member While supported upon the core.

In testimon whereof I aflix my si ature.

GHA LES GASSIUS GA ES. 

